Serving the Teesside Business Community | 55
CHAMPIONS !
Helen Wells Photography
Applied Integration are proud club sponsors of Cleveland Juniors .
“ Both lads have moved into good jobs that can become great careers . We want to drive the business in a way that gets people up to chartership , so we will continue to support Conner and Jordan to go as far as they want to go as engineers .”
Two further Applied Integration apprentices - Jack Gould and Hayden Cartwright – are now in their second years and continuing to enjoy day release from the firm to study at Hartlepool College . Gould is studying for a HNC in Instrumentation and Controls while Cartwright is focusing on an BTEC level 3 diploma in Engineering .
Lofthouse added : “ We ’ re exposing Jack and Hayden to a wide range of tasks and a multitude of projects to give them every opportunity to enhance their skills . There are very good , well-paid jobs waiting for them if they continue to work hard and progress .”
Applied Integration have been hailed as “ community champions ” by the junior football club they helped rescue from the scrapheap and build into one of Teesside ’ s best sporting facilities for children .
Over the course of the last five or six years , the Stokesley firm has donated many thousands of pounds to Cleveland Juniors Football Club to transform the Middlesbrough outfit .
The club now runs numerous teams at all junior levels , has 350 members , boasts one of the most successful girls ’ outfits in the region and runs a successful free academy that ’ s open to all children , regardless of their financial status .
Club president Michelle Rush said : “ When I got involved with the club , it was a sinking ship . There was very little hope , the committee members were new and we needed help , both financially and with positive input .
“ Applied Integration gave us both , with director Garry Lofthouse playing an active role , attending meetings , helping with financial decisions and finances , as well as being our biggest fan !
“ Our girls ’ team and academy have had such a boost thanks to Applied Integration . Garry is so passionate about girls ’ football and has been an integral part of our success in girls ’ football .”
Applied Integration launched their backing of Cleveland Juniors with a £ 10,000 donation to relieve mounting financial pressure on the club and help them build towards new facilities .
Since then , as club sponsors , the firm has continued to support a club affectionately known as ‘ Clevo ’ year after year , sponsoring the kit for the club ’ s many teams and backing the annual tournaments .
“ Our entire facilities consisted of a Portaloo in a metal container , whilst we made do with second hand kits or bibs ,” recalled Rush .
“ Now we have a state-of-the-art clubhouse , our kids are uniformed in magnificent kits – proudly sporting the Applied Integration logo - and we put on some of the best lads ’ and girls ’ tournaments around .
“ All of what we ’ ve achieved would not have been possible without the support of Garry and his fellow directors at Applied Integration . And no matter how much they give , they are always trying to help more .”
Nearly 40 teams from across Teesside and the North-East entered this year ’ s Applied Cup girls ’ tournament at Cleveland Juniors ’ ground at Mill Hill in Middlesbrough , while 85 teams from as far afield as Wales took part in the biggest ever boys ’ tournament for the Applied Cup .
Rush added : “ Our tournaments are talked about as the best in the North-East but the reality is that , as a club , we do not have the finances or resources to make this happen .
“ Without the generous funding from Applied Integration , it simply would not happen !”
Lofthouse said : “ Our company has enjoyed much success since forming more than a decade ago but it ’ s always been our belief that we should share some of that success with the local community .
“ Cleveland Juniors is a very special football club that gives sporting opportunities to kids of all abilities and financial backgrounds , promotes good health and fitness , and teaches young people life skills such as teamwork , time-keeping , reliability and much more .
“ We ’ re incredibly proud to support Cleveland Juniors .”